God’s own city Kochi is in the national spotlight - Hindustan Times
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God’s own city Kochi is in the national spotlight

Dec 06, 2015 12:05 PM IST

With India’s first biennale and first fully solar-powered airport in the world, not to mention the emergence of a strong start-up culture, quiet, pretty Kochi is in the national spotlight.

“Here lies the thriving town of Muchiri [Muziris], where the beautiful large ships of the Yavana come, bringing gold, splashing the white foam on the waters of the Periyar and then return, laden with pepper.”

With India’s first biennale and first fully solar-powered airport in the world, not to mention the emergence of a strong start-up culture, quiet, pretty Kochi is in the national spotlight (Photo: Dinesh Krishnan)
With India’s first biennale and first fully solar-powered airport in the world, not to mention the emergence of a strong start-up culture, quiet, pretty Kochi is in the national spotlight (Photo: Dinesh Krishnan)
The first entirely solar-powered airport in the worldMore than 46,000 solar panels have been installed at the Kochi airport to generate electricity. Switching to green energy is almost equivalent to planting three million trees or not driving 750 million miles, says VJ Kurian (above), managing director of Cochin International Airport Limited. Kurian is also the brain behind Kochi becoming the first private airport in the country in 1999. (Photo: Dinesh Krishnan)
The first entirely solar-powered airport in the worldMore than 46,000 solar panels have been installed at the Kochi airport to generate electricity. Switching to green energy is almost equivalent to planting three million trees or not driving 750 million miles, says VJ Kurian (above), managing director of Cochin International Airport Limited. Kurian is also the brain behind Kochi becoming the first private airport in the country in 1999. (Photo: Dinesh Krishnan)
City of start-ups: The Start-Up Village is India’s first incubator funded jointly by the public and private sector. It helps fledgling start-ups raise capital through angel investments, crowdfunding and seed funds. Kerala’s tech entrepreneurs are daring to chase their dreams, says Village chairman Sanjay Vijayakumar (right). The Village has also created around 3,000 jobs in a state whose economy is perceived to be dependent on repatriations from its NRI workforce. (Photo: Dinesh Krishnan)
City of start-ups: The Start-Up Village is India’s first incubator funded jointly by the public and private sector. It helps fledgling start-ups raise capital through angel investments, crowdfunding and seed funds. Kerala’s tech entrepreneurs are daring to chase their dreams, says Village chairman Sanjay Vijayakumar (right). The Village has also created around 3,000 jobs in a state whose economy is perceived to be dependent on repatriations from its NRI workforce. (Photo: Dinesh Krishnan)
Kochi-Muziris biennale: Bose Krishnamchari (left) and Riyas Komu, the founders and curators of India’s first ever biennale, launched in 2012, flank Jitish Kallat (centre) the curator for the 2014 edition. In its second innings, the biennale featured 94 artists from 30 countries. One of the central themes for the biennale was Kochi’s connection to the maritime chapter of the age of discovery from the 14th to 17th century AD. (Photo courtesy: The Kochi Biennale Foundation)
Kochi-Muziris biennale: Bose Krishnamchari (left) and Riyas Komu, the founders and curators of India’s first ever biennale, launched in 2012, flank Jitish Kallat (centre) the curator for the 2014 edition. In its second innings, the biennale featured 94 artists from 30 countries. One of the central themes for the biennale was Kochi’s connection to the maritime chapter of the age of discovery from the 14th to 17th century AD. (Photo courtesy: The Kochi Biennale Foundation)
Mall of large spaces: Shibu Philips (above), business head, LuLu Shopping Mall, the second biggest in India, says tourists to Kochi head here to relax at its 5,000 sq feet skating rink “with real ice” and a 12-lane bowling alley. But the most crowded is the 2-lakh sq feet LuLu Hypermarket, India’s largest, which stocks the best international food brands (Photo: Dinesh Krishnan)
Mall of large spaces: Shibu Philips (above), business head, LuLu Shopping Mall, the second biggest in India, says tourists to Kochi head here to relax at its 5,000 sq feet skating rink “with real ice” and a 12-lane bowling alley. But the most crowded is the 2-lakh sq feet LuLu Hypermarket, India’s largest, which stocks the best international food brands (Photo: Dinesh Krishnan)
Rohildev N of Fin Robotics. (Photo: Dinesh Krishnan)
Rohildev N of Fin Robotics. (Photo: Dinesh Krishnan)
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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Aasheesh Sharma works with the opinion team at Hindustan Times. Over the last 20 years, he has worked with a wire service, newspapers, magazines and television. His story on the longest train journey in India was included in an anthology on train writings in 2014.

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